The Green Helmet and Other Poems Part 9

It was not for your head, And so you would let none wear it, but fling it away instead.

CONALL'S WIFE

But you shall answer for it, for you've robbed my man by this.

CONALL

You have robbed us both, Cuchulain.

LAEGAIRE

The greatest wrong there is On the wide ridge of the world has been done to us two this day.

EMER

[_Drawing her dagger_]

Who is for Cuchulain?

CUCHULAIN

Silence!

EMER

Who is for Cuchulain, I say?

[_She sings the same words as before, flourishing her dagger about.

While she is singing, CONALL'S WIFE and LAEGAIRE'S WIFE draw their daggers and run at her, but CUCHULAIN forces them back. LAEGAIRE and CONALL draw their swords to strike CUCHULAIN_]

LAEGAIRE'S WIFE

[_Crying out so as to be heard through EMER'S singing_]

Deafen her singing with horns!

CONALL'S WIFE

Cry aloud! blow horns! make a noise!

LAEGAIRE'S WIFE

Blow horns, clap hands, or shout, so that you smother her voice!

[_The Horse Boys and Scullions blow their horns or fight among themselves. There is a deafening noise and a confused fight.

Suddenly three black hands come through the windows and put out the torches. It is now pitch dark, but for a faint light outside the house which merely shows that there are moving forms, but not who or what they are, and in the darkness one can hear low terrified voices_]

A VOICE

Coal-black, and headed like cats, they came up over the strand.

ANOTHER VOICE

And I saw one stretch to a torch and cover it with his hand.

ANOTHER VOICE

Another sooty fellow has plucked the moon from the air.

[_A light gradually comes into the house from the sea, on which the moon begins to show once more. There is no light within the house, and the great beams of the walls are dark and full of shadows, and the persons of the play dark too against the light. The RED MAN is seen standing in the midst of the house. The black cat-headed Men crouch and stand about the door. One carries the Helmet, one the great sword_]

RED MAN

I demand the debt that's owing. Let some man kneel down there That I may cut his head off, or all shall go to wrack.

CUCHULAIN

He played and paid with his head and it's right that we pay him back, And give him more than he gave, for he comes in here as a guest: So I will give him my head.

[_EMER begins to keen_]

Little wife, little wife, be at rest.

Alive I have been far off in all lands under sun, And been no faithful man; but when my story is done My fame shall spring up and laugh, and set you high above all.

EMER

[_Putting her arms about him_]

It is you, not your fame, that I love.

CUCHULAIN

[_Tries to put her from him_]

You are young, you are wise, you can call Some kinder and comelier man that will sit at home in the house.

EMER

Live and be faithless still.

CUCHULAIN

[_Throwing her from him_]

Would you stay the great barnacle-goose When its eyes are turned to the sea and its beak to the salt of the air?

EMER